London: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

U.S. officer accused of Russian spying is set to be charged in U.K., official says • Nov. 12, 2026, 7:54 PM ET (NBC)

Marlon James or Douglas Stuart could snag a Booker double when the fiction prize is awarded • Nov. 9, 2026, 4:57 PM ET (AP)

British doctor who tested positive for Ebola in Congo is evacuated to London hospital • Nov. 5, 2026, 5:39 PM ET (AP)

London police make arrests outside court hearing Palestine Action ban appeal • Nov. 4, 2026, 2:40 PM ET (AP)

London police arrest 139 people outside US Embassy for supporting banned pro-Palestinian group • Oct. 31, 2026, 4:14 PM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

London; Thames River

Westminster Abbey's Gothic facade rises behind trees, with a red double-decker bus passing in front, in London, England.

Map showing the expansion of London's built-up areas from 1590 to 1990, with shaded zones representing the city's growth at intervals of about a century. The darkest area marks central London in 1590, gradually expanding outward through 1690, 1790, 1890, and reaching the largest extent by 1990. Major neighborhoods and the River Thames are labeled, with green areas indicating parks and open spaces.

map of London c. 1900

Buckingham Palace

Nelson's Column

Study London's history through sites such as Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and the River Thames

See how London's Thames Barrier combats flooding caused by the reversal of water flow in the River Thames when levels rise in the North Sea

Examine John Stow's systematic description of 16th-century London in his work A Survey of London

Explore London city's famous and historical landmarks, neighborhood, markets, shopping at Bates, St. Paul's Cathedral, Notting Hill, and Tower Bridge

Experience the historic buildings and sites of London, the busy capital of the United Kingdom, and the River Thames

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Manchester Edinburgh Liverpool Birmingham Glasgow Bristol Leicester Oxford Newcastle upon Tyne Belfast

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

English language school promotion illustration. Silhouette of a man advertises or sells shouts in a megaphone and emerging from the flag of the United Kingdom (Union Jack).

Another Great British Vocabulary Quiz, Innit?

Union Jack, British flag, Flag of Great Britain, British Culture, British Empire, England, English Culture, English Flag

Know Your UK Geography Quiz

Catedral at night on Plaza de Armas (also known as plaza mayor) Lima, Peru.

World Capitals Quiz

Top of Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, Germany

European Capitals Quiz

Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.

Guess the City by Its River Quiz